Guide to Stone and Granite Fabrication

When we use the term ‘granite’ in home improvement, it gets used rather loosely because it obviously has to go through a process before being used as opposed to being directly installed from source. In order for it to become a beautiful countertop, it may just go through more than you realize in what we call ‘stone fabrication’ - where ‘fabricators’ are the contractors.

Stone Fabrication in San Diego - First and foremost, the stone fabricator should explain the different materials before helping you decide on what you would like for your project. During this phase, measurements will be taken so that the correct amount of stone can be yielded. As soon as this is completed, more discussions will follow including types of veins, shading, stone, color, and more.

In the stone selection process, there will also be a decision regarding stone density and structure. Since it is a natural resource, the quality of stones can differ depending on where it is extracted. Therefore, different stones will have differing levels of durability and overall strength which makes it a unique selection. Of course, not every single slab of stone can be tested but all good stone companies should have basic test information on the stone that comes from individual quarries. Thanks to training and experience, stone fabricators excel in quality control which should leave you happy with the end result.

Granite and Stone Fabrication - When it comes to key decisions, the stone fabricators should be of assistance but the fabrication process will not begin until final decisions are made. In this process, the stone will be assessed for damage including scratches, blemishes, seams, and fissures. If all is fine, the slab will then be laid out to check overall appearance before being cut to size. If required, special scribing and edging can take place.

Next, the installation of drain boards and support rods will occur before the stone is smoothed using a complex process involving grit polish. When all this is done, the stone is then washed and dried in preparation for the sealer base coat. Typically, this whole process will take place away from your home before then being delivered to be fitted into your kitchen!

How Does Your Stone Garden Grow?

Ever thought of creating a stone garden or adding natural stone to your landscape? There’s nothing more complementary to the foliage, vegetation, and blooms of a garden than natural stone. That’s why we’ve sat on stone park benches since time immortal. Those stone benches provide a sense of place and connect us to nature. The irregular, interesting shapes and colors of natural stone can also add charm, whimsy, or elegance to your garden.

Bill Schnetz, landscape contractor at Schnetz Landscape in San Diego recommends clients work with a team to help design both layout—hardscaping and placement of stone features—as well as selection of plants and trees. Schnetz and landscape architect Gary Stone, ASLA, of Stone Grove Landscape Architects in Solano Beach have collaborated together for more than 30 years.

It’s important to work with a quality team that can provide a stone garden you’ll love. Get referrals. Then see work that the architect and contractor have done to assure it aligns with your taste. Schnetz and Stone don’t have many requests for whimsical stone gardens but rather focus on elegant, organic, and timeless gardenscapes. “Everything we do in stone tends to be more Zen or more organic and naturally occurring,” says Schnetz.

How to Work with Landscape Architects and Contractors

Your landscape architect and/or contractor will meet with you repeatedly to identify your needs and preferences, and to view your site to understand exactly what you’re looking for. Schnetz had one client who asked for a succulent garden she had seen in a magazine, with dry stream beds and stone pathways. “I showed her picture books of succulent gardens and with every meeting she just looked at the stone work.” Turns out, she was more interested in Japanese style gardens with large boulders and other stones she could see from her bedroom window, not so much the succulents. Oftentimes clients aren’t quite sure what they want at first.

Read more at usenaturalstone.com